Dean woke up feeling better than normal. The last thing he remembered was Castiel stroking his fur and then falling asleep. Waking up without Cas watching him felt...wrong...for lack of a better word.

Dean stretched and went to find Lucifer, or Luke as Dean flippantly called him. It was better than Lucy.

"Where's Cas?"

"Gone. Someone up in heaven with enough strings deliberately pulled him back up. He found like hell against it but I'm guessing they had Micheal power it. His human vessel was dumped off somewhere," said Lucifer flatly.

"What."

"Castiel has been forcibly recalled back, and while they now know Gabriel has claimed Sam they're still dead determined to claim you since you're Micheal's vessel."

Dean felt cold inside.

He had seen Heaven's handiwork, and he had the feeling they were going to do something terrible to Castiel. Brainwashing was the first thing that sprang to mind.

Sam walked in, still in unicorn form. He looked exhausted but much calmer than before. He switched back immediately when he saw Dean's face.

"What happened?"

"Someone dragged Castiel back to heaven. Since Luc couldn't exactly announce he was here he couldn't stop it."

Gabriel flinched.

"Sorry about that. If I hadn't gone with Sam..."

Dean shook his head.

"It's not often Sam feels the need to just let go and run for hours, but when he does he's more vulnerable than I am. Most things won't bother unicorns, but Sam doesn't have monsterproof skin. I'm glad someone with healing abilities was with him. We'll get Cas back. They need him to get to us since we clearly don't trust heaven," said Dean sensibly.

Dean picked up the phone and he knew something was very wrong. The man had Castiel's voice, but it definitely wasn't Cas.

Dean packed everything up and they were at the hospital where this Jimmy Novak was before sundown.

"Thank god... I thought I was going crazy," said Jimmy in relief.

"Shit...when the angels kidnapped Castiel they must have ditched you at the first available hospital," said Dean, inspecting Jimmy's soul.

There were hints of Castiel in the man, enough to get him into heaven upon death, but that was it. Whatever had grabbed Castiel didn't want his vessel. It was a small mercy they at least sent him to a hospital instead of somewhere a demon could find him.

Jimmy was just glad he knew Dean's number and that the man would take him seriously. The interactions he saw between Dean and the angel were amusing (who knew angels could bat for the same team?) the fact was Dean considered Castiel part of his family. And by extension it meant he would do everything in his power to keep Jimmy safe even if Castiel wasn't in his body at the moment.

"We have two options. One, we wait for Castiel to return once they let him go and you can go back to being just another vessel."

"What's the other?" asked Jimmy. He wanted his life back.

"I talk to Castiel's father about making another custom vessel for him and I put the Fidelius charm around the fact you were his vessel before. That should keep the demons from trying to come after you for information, and I could probably spin a yarn or two about a cult kidnapping you to cover why you've been gone for so long. If that doesn't work I can give you enough gold that you and your family can stay afloat until you find someplace new," offered Dean.

Hiding Castiel's vessel under a powerful charm and insuring the man's family made it through this mess was the least he could do for the poor guy. It wasn't Jimmy's fault most angels were complete assholes.

Jimmy's face flooded with absolute relief.

"Sam, call Gabriel in and keep a close eye on Jimmy while I work the situation out. If you even think there's demons nearby you call me fast."

"Got it," said Sam. This wasn't a hunt. This was a rescue and protection job. Under no circumstances was he to let Jimmy out of his sight.

"What do I have to do?" asked Jimmy.

"You get to stay next to the dogs. Out of all of them Bear smells trouble the fastest, and don't try to slip away. I'm giving him orders to keep you pinned if I have to. If demons threaten your family you tell us straight off. We'll go under polyjuice as you if we have to rescue them. They won't be expecting that."

"What..."

"It's something that will make us look exactly like you for an entire hour. It tastes beyond foul but the uses are great when we need it," explained Sam.

"Basically we would become your body doubles," said Dean helpfully. He had just gotten on the phone with Chuck, since it was less conspicuous than telepathy. If God had known Dean would be highly telepathic to the point he could hold a round robin, he would have made sure the angels knew Chuck was telepathic too.

Instead they had to rely on phones.

"Well?"

"He's okay with making a vessel just for Castiel to use. He'll make it look mostly like Jimmy to throw people off his scent if he wants to go home rather than stick around," said Dean.

"You mean I can go back home? Back to my life?" said Jimmy, not daring to hope.

"It means we'll layer you with as many protections as we can get away with. You and your family. And we'll make sure you're able to get back into your life once you're ready for it. If anything happens. Anything at all that you can't readily explain, feel free to call us. We'll be there as fast as we're able," said Dean honestly.

Gabriel looked at Jimmy amused. The man was Catholic. Very Catholic. He had been uncomfortable with the idea of being attracted to Dean (that had been all Castiel) but he was fine with the idea of someone as powerful as Gabriel dating Sam. He wasn't a hypocrite.

Jimmy shifted in his seat. Sam had taken Jimmy's place and Dean was going to act as the one who 'found' Jimmy and explain what happened.

As far as his family would be aware, he had been abducted by insane cultists who believed magic was real who had taken him to England. Dean was quite gleeful about that part of the story.

Gabriel and Lucifer were just there to insure nothing came anywhere near Jimmy until the protections and charms were in place.

So he waited impatiently.

Finally after what seemed like forever he heard the sound of Dean's Impala.

"Daddy!"

Jimmy caught his daughter in his arms with relief. They were safe.

"I explained things to them. They know you were held in captivity by some cult from England connected to the rash of murderers and disappearances a few years back, and that the trauma of what happened will likely haunt you for years. Your wife also agreed to hide under 'witness protection', but if need be I can tweak the memories so no one will suspect anything."

"No. I would rather tell her the truth, or at least some of it."

Dean leaned closer to Jimmy.

"If nothing else, claimed they brainwashed you. The English have a spell that forces you to do their will and very little can stop it. There are countless court documents from around that time where people were forced into murdering innocents. No one will question it and I can give you cases to cite if anyone asks," said Dean.

Jimmy nodded. Claiming he was brainwashed by a cultist was a hell of a lot more believable for police to believe than he was taken over by an angel.

Dean made sure Jimmy and his family were settled in a hunter hotspot. As far as the wife and kid knew, Jimmy had been kidnapped and brainwashed. It was only because Dean had known the signs that he was able to get Jimmy back to his family.

And because he might know something, Jimmy was told to keep his eyes open and to contact Dean or the Roadhouse first.

Castiel was in so much pain. Zachariah was furious at him for siding with Dean and Sam. He wanted someone who had an in with the brothers, and Castiel was the perfect choice. The only problem being that Castiel had no interest in cooperating.

Instead he fought with everything he had to keep his memories the way they were. The only solace he had was that the mirror the Grigori have given him had slipped under the couch so they couldn't corrupt that as well.

He could feel his mind slipping. He didn't want to betray Dean's trust, which was so hard won and so fragile to begin with. Harry rarely trusted anyone, and it had bleed into Dean. If he hurt the brothers he would never forgive himself.

So he fought with everything he had to remain true to himself.

There was a sudden ping against his senses. It was almost enough to make him slip from shock.

Dean.

The ping hit him again, only this time he clutched to it like a lifeline. He could hear Dean's voice talking to him, keeping him calm, shoring up his defenses. Outside his mind he heard Zachariah's rage as he sensed the change. He knew something was reaching out to Castiel and forcing them to back off.

There was a yank, and he felt pain like nothing he had experienced. But he wasn't falling and that was all he cared about.

"Sweet Father..." said Gabriel horrified.

Castiel's grace was almost torn to shreds, and he knew torture when he saw it. The fact Castiel had held his sanity long enough for Dean to find that mirror that was tied only to Castiel was a miracle in itself.

Castiel saw Dean's eyes turn slitted. This wasn't the playful Stitch, who cheered everyone up and shocked people for fun. This was his dragon in full rage at what had been done to him. This was a mythical beast known for collecting enraged that his 'hoard' had been harmed.

"Dean, either calm down or go outside. I can't have your smoke or the smell interfering," said Gabriel.

Castiel watched Dean go outside. He whimpered from the pain...until the windows went dark. It took him a moment to realize Dean had turned into his dragon form and that what little light he could see was going through the membranes of Dean's wings. He heard a growl, a low rumble that made the floor tremble under his body.

"Better than having that mother hen hovering," muttered Gabriel.

Lucifer helped to keep Castiel asleep while Gabriel went to work. They were both very pissed off about this.

I want to make it clear. Once he's healed I am going to find out who did this and drag their asses down from heaven. They are going to pay for trying to hurt my family, snarled Dean in their heads.

After this stunt, I wouldn't be surprised if Father forced a reincarnation cycle or just threw them out, replied Lucifer blandly. He knew his Father was listening. He always was now that he had allowed Lucifer to walk freely among humans.

And there was no way he would like this. Not one bit. Free will had bound his hands. Lucifer chose to fight Micheal the first time around, and it was Micheal's choice to bind his brother in that cage. Castiel chose someone he could trust over the 'divine right' of heaven.

And he was paying the price for it.

Castiel whimpered in his induced sleep, but Gabriel could feel his grace curl around the gentle touch of Dean's natural magic. Right now Castiel needed Dean almost as much as the dragon needed to be sure Castiel's pain was avenged. He didn't tolerate attacks on his family and he sure as hell wasn't going to let this slide.

Zachariah waited until Sam went missing before he made his move.

He grabbed Dean, intent on forcing the man to agree to be heaven's lapdog. Most of the seals had been broken, all they needed now was for Dean to kill Lilith and get this show started.

What he wasn't counting on was for Dean's rage to turn him in a cold, calculating person who was more interested in finding out who tortured Castiel in heaven than in helping them.

Dean's nostrils flared and he felt a twinge of fear. What the hell was wrong with this human?!

"You. You were among the angels who tortured Castiel," he snarled.

Zachariah started to back away, feeling as though he had made a monumental mistake. This wasn't just a human. This was something much more dangerous and pissed off.

Dean took a step closer, his eyes turning a shade of emerald rarely seen in humans. Seeing them slit, the angel knew he was in trouble.

Unlike Gabriel, Dean wasn't in the mood for warnings. He was out for some payback against the angels for hurting someone he cared about.

"You want me to sit tight while Sam kills Lilith and breaks Lucifer out. I got news for you asshole. Lucifer's already out and that cage is still strong. Killing Lilith won't work if the first seal was never broken," sneered Dean.

Zachariah was beginning to sweat.

"And you, little seraph, won't have a chance to warn Micheal the others that I'm coming for each and every single one of them," said Dean.

And in that moment he let Godzilla take over. The dragon inside of him was enraged beyond belief that this seraph dared to harm what he considered his. And now the angel was going to pay for it.

The three angels on the side of the brothers felt Dean lose control...and the death of one of theirs.

"Which one pissed him off?"

"Zachariah," said Castiel immediately. He shuddered as memories of what had been done to him tried to surface. Gabriel curled one of his wings around the younger angel.

Since being rescued, Castiel had become rather clingy. Especially around Dean. Dean put up with it, because he was sometimes clingy to Sam when he was upset. It wasn't uncommon to find Castiel around Gabriel or Dean...afraid that he would be kidnapped again.

They heard the sound of thunderous wings and the minor earthquake caused by landing. There was a low growl and Castiel was one of the first outside. Dean was shrinking his form, but his wing immediately curled around Cas to assure him that he was alright. Dean's head nuzzled the worried angel, to the amusement of Sam.

Wasn't interested in Cas. He would believe that when Dean quit acting like a damn mother hen!